The effort encourages schools and youth-focused, community center-based programs to design and implement activities to address and help combat childhood obesity. Youth Service America seeks to improve communities by increasing the number and diversity of young people, ages 5–25, serving in important roles.

Founded in 1986, YSA is an international nonprofit resource center that partners with thousands of organizations in more than 100 countries to expand the impact of the youth service movement with families, communities, schools, corporations and governments.

The public campaign encourages schools and youth-focused, community center-based programs to apply for grants of up to $1,000 to create specific campaigns relevant to their own community. To obtain an application, vist www.ysa.org and click on the “UnitedHealth HEROES” link under “Support — Get Funding” or the “UnitedHealth HEROES” link under “What’s New.”

Applications are due before midnight Thursday, October 22, 2009. Grant recipients will be notified in December and January.